, called the
tobacco-worm--will taste, or touch, or handle it.[A]

[A] It has recently been affirmed that there is a dirty goat in South
America which will eat this dirty plant.

Though it be unpopular to expose the evils of using tobacco; these evils
are so appalling, it will not do to slumber over them longer.--We must
look at them; we must lay them open--we must raise our voice against
them; (we would gladly raise it so high that it should reach every
family in the nation.) Yes, we must cry aloud and spare not; or give up
our claim to patriotism, and benevolence.

In approaching this subject, I am not unmindful of the pertinacity with
which men adhere to old habits. Dr. Rush speaks of a venerable clergyman
who closed a long sermon, in which he had controverted what he supposed
an heretical opinion, with these words: "I tell you--I tell you, my
brethren, I tell you again, that an _old error_ is better than a _new
truth_." There are few who will assent to this proposition in plain
terms; but there are thousands upon thousands, who act up to the very
letter of it, constantly.--The history of man is extensively a history
of folly, delusion, and sin.

No error has been so absurd as not to find advocates--no habit has been
so foolish, or so deadly, as not to find martyrs. But of all the
delusions, which have prevailed among civilized men, there have been
few--perhaps none, but that of intoxication--so disgusting, so
inexcusable, so destructive to health, and wealth, and life, as the
habit which we now ask you to consider.

It will be borne in mind that my position is this; it is the bounden
duty of every man and every woman to _abstain_, _immediately_, and
_forever_, from _all use_ of tobacco, whether by _chewing_, _smoking_,
or _snuffing_ except it be as a medicine. This position I maintain,

I. From a consideration of the _history_ of this loathsome weed.--The
tobacco plant is a native of America. It was unknown in Europe until
some time after the discovery of America, by Columbus. It was first
carried to Europe by Sir Francis Drake, about the year 1560, less than
three hundred years ago. The natives of this continent called it
_petun_; the natives of the islands called it _yoli_. The Spaniards gave
it the name of _tobacco_, from _Tobaco_, a province of Yucatan in
Mexico, where they first found it, and first learned its use. Its
botanic name is _Nicotiana_, which it received from John Nicot, then
Ambassador from F